SEMCOG awarded $250,000 grant for Bus Rapid Transit project

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments will receive $250,000 in federal funding to support the development of a Bus Rapid Transit project along Woodward Avenue, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Monday.

SEMCOG is among 21 organizations nationwide that will receive a share of $19.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration to support comprehensive planning projects that improve access to public transit.

The funds are made available through FTA’s Transit-Oriented Development Planning Pilot Program for communities that are developing new or improved mass transit systems, the agency reported.

SEMCOG and the transit authority are planning the Bus Rapid Transit for a 27-mile corridor along Woodward Avenue from downtown Detroit to Pontiac.

Specifically, the the local funding will go towards creating a plan for communities to guide development around transit facilities; formulating strategies for economic growth; assessing development opportunities in the corridor; and evaluating the use of mixed income housing and public private partnerships in relation to the project, the report said.

“Our nation’s transportation demands have exceeded our capacity, causing millions of Americans to lose precious time stuck on congested roads and transit systems,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “By investing in transit planned around housing, jobs and services, these communities are creating ladders of opportunity for their citizens and laying a strong foundation for economic development that our growing nation demands.”